How Democrats and Republicans have shifted their positions on Puerto Rico’s status
Puerto Rican delegates in both the Democratic and Republican conventions supported their respective presidential candidates, despite changes in policy platforms and campaign stances on the status of Puerto Rico. The Democratic Party’s platform has a section on...
#TBT: September 28, 2024
On September 26, 2009, the Arthur Abel Complex, formerly known as the Old Danish School, was dedicated after being restored, following its destruction in 1989 by Hurricane Hugo. Today, it houses the offices of the US Virgin Islands Lieutenant Governor.
US Virgin Islands governor proposes legislation aimed at increasing cruise calls to St. Croix
In what was described as a strategic effort to boost St. Croix’s economic growth and strengthen its appeal as a premier cruise destination, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. (D) recently introduced a legislative proposal to allow cruise ships berthed in St. Croix to operate...
Clash between conservation and culture over NOAA reclassification of Guam giant clams
A recent proposal from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has placed six species of giant clams under the Endangered Species Act. Three species, Hippopus hippopus, Tridacna derasa, and Tridacna gigas, are native to Guam, and the proposed...
#TBT: September 19, 2024
On September 19, 2017, these candidate designs, among others, were announced for the 2019 America the Beautiful War in the Pacific National Historical Park in Guam Quarter in accordance with the Act that authorized them. The GU-03 design ended up being selected.
Google Trends in the US territories: August 2024
Welcome back to our monthly series examining the top Google Trends in Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Trends data is an unbiased sample of Google search data. It’s anonymized (no one is...
US Department of the Interior funding for the US territories passes the House
The United States House of Representatives approved the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 (HR 8998) on July 24, 2024, with provisions affecting the five US territories. It is now awaiting the Senate’s approval. The...
#TBT: September 12, 2024
The Capitol of Puerto Rico is shown under construction on September 12, 1925. The oceanfront, neoclassical Beaux-Arts-style, entirely white marble-covered seat of the Legislative Assembly was constructed between 1921 and 1929 to resemble the ancient Roman Pantheon in...
US Department of Justice includes formal policy rejecting Insular Cases in its Justice Manual
In May, the United States Department of Justice took historic action in a letter to Congress in which it committed to “not rely on or seek to extend the doctrine of territorial incorporation established by the Insular Cases.” Now, the Department has issued formal...
Extinct in the wild Sihek arrive at new home on Palmyra Atoll
By Jordan Akiyama The United States Fish and Wildlife Service and its Sihek Recovery Program partners transported nine extinct in the wild sihek (Guam kingfisher) to The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) preserve and research station on Cooper Island at Palmyra Atoll on...
